Thanks :) All very good points. We thought about having the cabinet doors put in for the fridge but we personally haven't found them to be too practical in the past. Ones we've used haven't seemed to seal so well. We are also planning to upgrade the fridge in the next couple if years. Good thinking about placement of the microwave too. We have a power pack range built into the wall cabinets so unfortunately we can't put the microwave above the cooktop. I like the idea of the appliance cupboard being turned into a corner cupboard, although I'm unsure if that would mean that you then couldn't easily access it from the other side of the bench..? I'm hoping our kids will sit at the breakfast bar and make their own toast etc while keeping out of the kitchen itself.... I also wonder if we should have the wall cabinets all in the same line or if we could drop the usable ones, on either side of the power pack, down further to give us more storage....? And (I promise this is my last dilemma!) does anyone have any ideas on whether to place the 1/4 sink to the left or the right of the main sink? Again it's one of those things that I'm going around in circles about....next to the prep area vs next to the dishwasher.....? ...... Ahhhh decisions, decisions ;-) Thanks again

jacquipru: I kind of like it without the lamp. Do you need the lamp there for ambient lighting? If so, then the blue/silver shade for sure. My family would love for me to give advice on other matters. Keeps me out of their hair. HA When you start the other discussion, be sure to include lots of pictures, and include information like "I need to work with all the furniture, except for _________." And what kind of budget you are on. (Champagne vs beer!) You'll get TONS of ideas, but if you aren't working (sorry you are sick) and need cost-effective ideas and products, leaving it open ended might not be as on point and helpful as it could be. It's also helpful to generally indicate your location if you are comfortable. That helps people develop ideas based on what stores/vendors may be available to you. :)

Ozbern: we had a similar dilemma, lovely backyard and then they started tearing down bungalows and building four story townhouses all around us. I built a single depth pergola along the back property line, the beauty of this is not only the privacy, but it brings the scale of the yard down to make it feel more intimate when we are outside. We also added a 10' x 10' (little over three meters) pergola right up against the house where we had a wall of windows. Will try to find that photo too. We have coral vine now growing in it. Dies in winter, comes back in spring. You can always do more contemporary details if this is too casual.

Considering my house is upstairs, my home would be useless for when I'm old. Absolutely useless. There's no shower downstairs either so I'd have to install one of those elevators that help you go up the stairs.